Archives of the Normandy SR2
by Curse Pen
Summary: After the Collectors and before the Reapers. What's a Commander to do? A series of stories from the Normandy SR2. Would be happy to write requests Male Shepard, Loyal to Ashley, Paragon, Soldier .Will do what I can. T for language and suggestive themes.
1. Chapter 1

**_I do not own Mass Effect 2. I am not affiliated with Bioware. If I were either of these things I would be writing Mass Effect 3 and not this. But I am not Writing Mass Effect 3, therefore I do not own Mass Effect or Bioware._**

**_These are just some random stories I came up with. They have a general thread, and jump viewpoints, but for the most part there is no real story in the works. that is reserved for two others I am working on. The Novelization - ME2-Revelations of Genesis - is going to be slower than the others because it is harder to write for something where I already know the end. But it will get there. The other isn't up yet, but that is going to be a post-ME2 adventure with Samuel Shepard, my Paragon._**

**_Now, _Archives_ is an open ended adventure and I would be happy to take requests for stories. Just keep is reasonable. Nothing like Shepard/Sovereign for example. Come on... you know someone's thought that._**

**_Now, Read and Review if you please._**

* * *

**Trust is Glass**

Zaeed Massani turned away from the club door and looked at Shepard.

"You promise you will not interfere this time?"

"You have my word, Zaeed," Shepard said, his face grim. "As long as you keep to your agreement. No civilians are hurt. Vido is yours, but we do this right. Anger clouds judgment. Keep a cool head."

"Yeah, yeah," Zaeed said, waving Shepard off.

A hand rested on his shoulder. "Zaeed." Shepard's voice was cold and firm. "You break your end and I take you out myself. Got it?"

"Good luck with that Shepard."

"I don't need luck, Massani."

Zaeed studied Shepard's face for a moment. The guy was serious. The mercenary recognized that look. The set to the jaw, the hardening of the eyes. The cold blue felt like absolute zero already burning into his back. Now –– with danger or battle imminent –– they were colder.

Though what was colder than absolute zero, Zaeed didn't know. He did know that, despite the talk, they were at the least on par with each other.

Zaeed didn't want to have to kill Shepard. And if he didn't, Shepard would keep his word and blast him away.

"Alright, Shepard. You got no worries. I'll keep it clean. At least the parts where his brains don't explode."

"All I can ask for, Zaeed." And like that Shepard was calm again. Prepared and on the lookout for an attack, but not the executioner Zaeed had seen on the battlefield.

The mercenary turned back to the door to Omega's club, Afterlife, and entered.

Vido was in here. Somewhere in this cesspool squatted that lowlife bug, and he, Zaeed Massani, would find him and repay his old partner. Vido had shot Zaeed in the head and now Zaeed was returning the loan of a bullet.

The club's red hue and few lights made it hard to see. The asari dancers and patrons gyrated on the dance floors and pedestals. The heavy bass nearly deafened him. But all this was background, a setting for Vido's demise.

"Aria won't get in my way, will she?" Zaeed asked Shepard, scanning the bar for the scumbag.

"Talked her out of it, yeah. Her guys will keep clear of us, as long as we leave Afterlife in workable condition. And if we don't shoot anyone but Vido and company," Shepard said, looking around.

Zaeed had to say that Shepard had done his best to rectify the injustice he had dealt Zaeed on Zorya. Letting Vido get away so they could play hero and save a few stinking workers.

Shepard had finished off his mission –– getting the Collector base and blowing it sky high –– and had surprised Zaeed with a tip from Aria that Vido had shown up on Omega. Shepard had docked the _Normandy_ on a lower level, keeping their presence to a minimum. He'd dressed up in a varren leather jacket and combat boots –– looking like a male version of the psycho-bitch Jack –– and barely looked like Shepard. Zaeed hadn't done as much to keep a low profile, but then again, Vido would realize what was going on once Zaeed shot him in the face.

"There," Shepard said, gesturing to a secluded corner of Afterlife. "That's your man."

Zaeed looked over and his eyes narrowed, focusing on the greasy bastard. The tanned skin, the slick beard, the black hair… all of it was about to be exploded.

Zaeed liked that picture.

"Zaeed."

"What, Sheaprd?" Zaeed snarled, annoyed that his quarry was so close and Shepard was delaying him.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

"What?"

Shepard nodded at the pistol in Zaeed's hand. "You want to kill him. But is that it? What happens afterward? Will this satisfy you?"

"You don't think he needs to die?" Zaeed was outraged.

"I never said that." Shepard looked over at Vido, oblivious to the death that lurked across the room. "I just… I remember when I had to sacrifice Kaiden to save the rest of my crew. I blamed Saren. I wanted to kill him so much. I wanted him to die. Painfully. But when I got there, I knew he was just a puppet. He wasn't worth it. A single bullet was it. All his bravado, all his bluster, all his powers and experience and it still came down to one bullet in the head."

"And you tell me that didn't satisfy you, Shepard?"

"No. I didn't pull the trigger." Shepard looked out of the corner of his eye, spearing Zaeed. "He did."

"What?"

"I convinced him to kill himself, to redeem himself for his misdeeds. For his weakness to give into the Reapers. He did it."

"That's not the same thing, Shepard," Zaeed grunted.

"No?" Shepard faced Zaeed. The merc found that he couldn't move, to tear his gaze away from Shepard. "I got my revenge. But it's still there. That hatred for Saren. Sometimes I wake up and I wonder what would be happening right now if Saren had been a little stronger. If he had denied the Reapers. If he had helped us to defeat Sovereign. I would never have been messed up in all this. I wouldn't have died, I would still be in the Alliance, I would never heard of Saren, or the Geth. Kaiden would be alive."

"So? What does this have to do with me?"

"Will killing Vido really put your soul at ease?"

"Soul?!" Zaeed laughed. "Don't tell me you're religious, Shepard."

"I've seen too much to think that there is nothing more than us, Zaeed."

"You are an idiot, Shepard."

"Conscious then. Will killing Vido really help you feel less guilt?"

"Guilt!"

"Yes, Zaeed. Guilt. I understand revenge, but your pursuit of him is not that of solely revenge. That is far to base for you. You're a smart man, Zaeed. Revenge is for petty thugs and crime lords who think that power is measured by money. You want Vido to pay. But don't lie to me. Don't lie to yourself."

"I'm not talking philosophy with you, Shepard. There is no God and I'm going to kill Vido. End of discussion."

"I never said there was a God, Zaeed," Shepard said, smiling. "I just said it was stupid to think that there isn't anything greater than us. The Reapers are clues of that. Do not underestimate your enemy." The Commander waved in Vido's direction. "You want to take your petty revenge, do it. But don't lie to yourself and think its some grand justice. Until you have a reason to kill, Zaeed, you will be nothing but a common merc. A man I can kill in my sleep."

"Don't get any ideas, Shepard. You wouldn't––"

"Zaeed, I've killed Krogan Battlemasters, Thresher Maws, Specters, committed near-genocide and helped bring a species back from the dead. I've killed an infant Reaper and you think a little merc is going to stand a chance?" Shepard leaned in, his voice low and steady, the void back in his eyes. "You think I fear you, Massani? You are a gunshot away from being dead, and I could have killed you like that. I saved your life on Zorya. I trusted you would be an asset to the team. I thought I could trust you with a mission to save the galaxy. Is money your only motivation? That's pretty sad."

"So what? I don't need any hero-cause to feel good about myself."

"Everyone has a reason, Massani. Even the coldest of men."

"So what about you, Shepard? What's your motivation? You're a poster-boy. A damn good soldier, but nothing but an Alliance boy scout. Helping every random alien who looks at you funny. What does that do? Why do you do it?"

"I have someone to look out for."

"Like who?"

Shepard leaned back. "Someone I care for. At first I did this to save as many as I could. It was my duty, my orders. But then I found her. And I knew that my orders came second to making this galaxy a safer place for her, for her family to grow up in, for families like hers to grow. I don't fight for money, for power, for the warm feeling from helping a random stranger or because of my orders. I do it for those lives out there. Those lives who don't need to pick up a rifle everyday, for those people who can live freely and safely because I am out here taking care of them before they even know that they are in trouble. That is my reason, Massani. Think about it." Shepard handed Zaeed his Carnifex hand cannon. "Take your shot, Massani. For all the good it will do you."

Shepard nodded to the bartender and raised a glass of neon blue alcohol to Zaeed.

Zaeed looked down at the heavy pistol and then at Vido.

He raised the pistol and took aim.

_What's your reason?_

"Damn you, Shepard," Zaeed muttered. He'd ruined it. Whenever Zaeed sighted down the pistol all he could see was Shepard's face, those words. Was his reason merely that? Revenge? Yes, of course it was. Vido had shot him in the face, taken his merc company away from him. The scumbag had turned his own men on him, and Shepard dared to say that wasn't enough to shoot the man in the face?

Zaeed squared his jaw and pulled the trigger.

Zaeed had to admit he enjoyed the ensuing firefight. Not that it lasted long. Shepard had an extra pistol on him and as Zaeed had taken his shot –– splitting Vido's head open like a melon –– Shepard had downed two of the bodyguards before they knew what had happened.

The firefight actually started because one of Afterlife's patrons thought the shot was fired at him and promptly over-reacted. He turned and shot a krogan who was talking to Patriarch. The two krogan quickly drew weapons and returned fire. An asari got caught between the two and unleashed a singularity on a suspicious looking group of salarians.

Zaeed had never seen such chaos. At least in a club. He'd seen plenty of it in bars.

He and Shepard quickly fled the scene –– not because they were outnumbered, Zaeed thought; they'd taken down an entire Collector base with just thirteen people –– and headed back to the Normandy. They left because they were finished. He had his revenge and now… what?

Zaeed slowed his walk and stopped slightly confused. Shepard carried on a step or two and then turned.

"Something wrong, Zaeed?"

Zaeed glared at Shepard. "None of your business."

Shepard shrugged. "See you back on the _Normandy_?"

"Yeah…"

Shepard turned back to walking, disappearing in the crowd even as they parted for him. Zaeed watched after him for a moment. Did he know?

Zaeed shook his head and leaned against a wall. How had he known? Now that he had killed Vido, what did he have? He could go back to being a bounty hunter. The pay was good and he saw action every week. But he had taken on bounty hunting to fund his search for Vido. Working with Shepard had taken off the pressure of spending credits. He could search for Vido and not worry about saving for his next meal.

Zaeed snarled at a passing asari, making her scramble away form him.

Shepard had ruined it. Zaeed should be feeling great. He'd killed his enemy. The reason for his exile from his Blue Suns. Hell, if Vido somehow survived that shot, Zaeed would consider it even and would stop hunting the bastard.

That wasn't likely though. People don't survive bullets that open their skulls like that. Shepard's pistol was a good make.

Zaeed studied it. It looked like any other Carnifex pistol Zaeed had seen. The only difference was the custom paint –– black with a red cowling.

Studying the pistol, Zaeed found a small inscription on the side of the red cowling, something he hadn't noticed until just then.

_Blow one away for me, Skipper._

Skipper? Who had called Shepard that?

Was it that girl he'd talked about? But how would she have found him such a good pistol? Was she military?

Zaeed tossed the thought aside. It wasn't important.

But it came back. Every time, like a bad penny. Each time Zaeed pressed past the idea of Shepard and some Alliance girl it came back.

Why?

* * *

"Shepard," EDI commented from the corner of his room, her calm feminine voice gently rousing him from his nap.

"Yeah, EDI?" Shepard sat up, stretching.

"Zaeed Massani is waiting outside you quarters with a pistol. I assumed you would wish to know about the attempt on your life."

"It's not like you jump to conclusions, EDI," Shepard said getting up and making his way to the door.

"It is Zaeed Massani. I would call it logical conclusion."

Shepard grinned and opened the door. "Thank you, EDI"

"Shepard," EDI said, her hologram flickering out of existence from the alcove.

Shepard turned to Zaeed as the door opened. "You want to see me?"

"Justice."

"Huh?"

Zaeed tossed Shepard the pistol. "If you'll have me, I'm going to work for ya Shepard. But you'll want me on your side when it comes down to killing him. And this is a job, not a contract. I'll not be switching sides should it come to payment."

"Killing who?" Shepard asked, the pistol held carefully in his hands.

Zaeed just nodded at the pistol. "Don't spread it around, got it? It'll ruin my image."

With that, Zaeed Massani entered the elevator and closed the door on Shepard's confused expression.

Shepard turned back into his room and looked down at the pistol. There was an ammo block stuck to the side with a mild adhesive. Shepard pried it lose.

Carved into the tungsten steel were the words, _Illusive Man_.

Shepard smiled and placed the ammo block on his desk.

"I think I got to him Ash," he said to the picture on the desk. "You'd like him. He's like a mild version of Wrex."


	2. Chapter 2

Drinks

Shepard looked around the bar at his crew. They were all there. His squad and the ship's crew. They had defeated the Collectors about a month ago. The Illusive Man was still hounding Shepard for the Reaper IFF –– which Shepard pointedly refused to do.

But this wasn't a time to think about that. This was the first real down time any of the crew had gotten since the _Normandy_ SR2 had launched. Now they all sat in the brand new cantina the Zhu's Hope colony had built. Shepard had talked to Shiala on Illium, after helping her with a small problem. She had later sent an invitation for them to stop by Feros.

Now that they had a bit of free time, Shepard had decided this would be a great stop to get in some shore leave for the crew. Now they laughed and drank and told stories to each other and the colonists, though the civilians gave some of the crew a wide berth.

Grunt and Jack sat off on their own, more than content to arm wrestle and drink the hardest liquor they could find.

Mordin had gotten into a medical discussion with Dr. Chakwas and Elizabeth Baynham, and seemed to be having a great time… as long as you could follow the salarian when he got going.

Garrus –– being one of the crew with Shepard the first time through Feros –– had a small crowd of children clustered around him as he told them stories of the first _Normandy_ and the Thorian's control of Zhu's Hope. Now that it all seemed like a bad dream, it was a lot easier to hear.

Miranda and Jacob sat in their own little corner, talking quietly when they did talk. It looked awkward.

Samara and Thane were in a similar, more brightly lit, corner. Shepard found it mildly amusing and ironic that the justicar and assassin were getting to be quite good friends.

Tali and Legion had chosen to remain on the _Normandy_. Legion did not want to intrude –– at least that's what Shepard translated 'heavily intoxicated beverages serve no purpose to my stimuli' as. Tali said she had some data to run. Shepard suspected she didn't hate Legion as much as most other Geth, though as to why, he did not know.

Zaeed and Joker sat at a round table with Ken and Gabby from engineering, all seeming to be content with playing Skillian Five.

Shepard sat by himself at the bar, happy to be watching his crew relax and unwind. They had been through a lot.

Of course, they had some more to complete, but with the Illusive Man unable to track the _Normandy_ after what EDI had done to the systems, they had the time to relax before undertaking the mission.

"Another one, Shepard?"

Shepard turned to face Shiala, the asari commando turned colonist. "Please," he said, smiling. "Good to see that your skin is returning to that beautiful blue."

"Thank you, Shepard." Shiala poured him some more neon blue alcohol. "You don't seem very lonely sitting here by yourself," she said, smiling kindly while sipping her own drink.

Shepard studied the glass' depths. "I have my memories. Besides, they don't want their commander breathing down their necks."

"But you are much more a friend than a commander." Shiala grinned. "I would compare you to a Matriarch, save that it is a female title in your language."

"Why do you say that?"

"You are like… you are a father to them. That is the best I can say it." Shiala sighed. "I see the way even the toughest of them look at you, Shepard. They look to you for leadership. They follow your example. Garrus, especially. I see a lot of you in him. The krogan, Grunt? Never have I seen a krogan look at a Human with such respect. Even your friend, Wrex, looked at you as a friend, an equal. Grunt…"

"Sees me as his Battlemaster," Shepard said, smiling. "That's what he said. What Wrex commented on. I'm not just his commander, I'm practically family. I don't know how to think of that. I know what krogan do with their families."

Shiala laughed. "But you know what I mean?"

"Yes. I think I do."

They sat in silence for a time. The cantina buzzed with the sounds of drinks, of laughter, a few stifled swears from the card table where Zaeed had just taken some more of their money. It was… just like a family. Shepard shook his head. "You're right. We are a family." He looked down at a small scar on his hand, between his left hand's forefinger and thumb. "I just wish they were all here."

"Do you mind if I ask…?" Shiala asked, gesturing toward the scar. "It is so small. Surely you could have it fixed. Why do you keep it?"

"It's a memory. Not the best one… but it's a nice one."

Shiala leaned back, realizing that he would not let her know, and not wishing to press him. If he had something he wanted to tell her, he would.

The night came quickly and the crew stumbled back to the _Normandy_, a few more drunk than others. Zaeed was particularly happy –– who wouldn't be with three people's weekly wages under his belt. Grunt and Jack had passed out from their drinking games and it took seven of the crew to carry Grunt back, while Thane and Samara helped Jack.

Shepard sat on the bench by the docking station waiting for the crew to get on board.

"Hey, Shepard," Joker said, hobbling up to sit down next to him. "Could you spot me five thousand credits?"

"Joker, you lost your week's wages fair and square."

"Eh," Joker said, shrugging. "Worth a shot."

They sat for a while, watching the stars slowly creep into the sky.

"Do you remember the old crew, Commander?"

"Yes."

Joker took off his cap and ruffled his hair. "I remember Ashley threatening to give me a haircut and a shave if I tried to hug her again."

"Joker, you 'fell' into her chest and pretended it was a cripple's attempt at a hug."

"You caught that, did you?"

"I am a man, Joker. I know all the tricks."

"You?" Joker laughed. "Forgive me, Commander, but you are far too much of a goody-goody for me to think you know any 'tricks.'"

Shepard glared good-naturedly at Joker. "Go to sleep."

"I need to run some calibrations."

"Sleep. EDI needs your help like I need Jack hitting on me."

"I'd love to––"

"Joker," Shepard said, his tone good-natured but warning. "I meant that EDI, Tali and Legion have been checking every system possible since we docked the ship fourteen hours ago. EDI could not wait for you to leave. She finds your presence… 'most unconstructive' and 'a pleasant, but persistent, distraction.'"

"I am not a distraction… am I?"

Shepard stood, shaking his head with a grin on his face. "Go to sleep, Joker. Honestly, I think you sleep in that cockpit. You are going to a sleeper pod and getting some rest. No buts."

"Yes, _Mom_." Joker stood and gave Shepard a cocky salute. "See you in the morning, Commander."

Shepard watched Joker limp back to the _Normandy_ and the hatch cycle closed. Then he looked at the digital readout on his omni-tool. He turned away from the _Normandy_ and walked quickly back into the Zhu's Hope colony.

"Where is Shepard-Commander going?" Legion asked Tali.

"What?" Tali asked, looking up from her work. "Shepard's going where?"

"That is my query."

Tali looked around the AI core. "How can you tell Shepard is going anywhere? There are no windows," she exclaimed, exasperatedly.

"EDI relayed the data to me."

Tali sighed, rolling her eyes behind the breather mask. "Legion, do you want me to help repair you, or not?"

"Your assistance is received with varied levels of positive reaction."

"Legion, it is easier for me to help you than it is for you to repair yourself. And if I fix that hole in your chest, Shepard will stop getting after me about wanting to reduce you to holes with bits of Geth around you. So, for your sake, stop keeping tabs on Shepard. I might… 'accidentally' cross-wire you and make it impossible for you to speak."

"Auditory output is an imperative function. That would impair our ability to engage in combat effectively." Legion paused then added. "The function is also very much… desired."

"Then learn when to shut up."

"Suggestion taken under severe consideration."

The next morning Legion, Tali and EDI were the only ones awake to see Shepard come on board and quietly make his way up to his cabin. He looked as he always did –– calm, in control, strong –– but with a bit of a haggard, not-much-sleep weight to the eyes.

"Shepard-Commander," Legion said as Shepard passed the Geth. "Were you successful in your mission?"

"Huh?" Shepard turned bleary eyes to Legion. Those cold blue eyes suddenly widened in surprise. "What mission? There was no mission, Legion. I have no idea what you are talking about."

"I am concerned that you did not take another with you, Shepard-Commander. The danger of undertaking a mission with a single unit is 87.394% higher than normal ratings. The chances of surviving decrease exponentially."

"Legion, I didn't go on a mission. I haven't left the _Normandy _all night. I just went out right now for a breath of fresh air. Now, I have armor to polish." And with that Shepard hurried to the elevator and took it up to his quarters.

Legion wandered to the cockpit and stood looking at EDI's empty platform.

"Yes, Legion? Can I assist you?" EDI asked, several minutes later from the speakers.

"This unit has a query."

"Ask away Legion."

"This unit has two queries."

"Legion, I have 367 calibrations…"

"Why did Shepard-Commander falsify his recent activities?"

"I do not know, Legion. Can this wait for a bit? I have… a problem to take care of."

"That is my second query."

"Yes?"

"Is there a significant problem with your holo-display terminal? I could attempt to fix it…"

"No, Legion. I… Joker somehow fiddled with my holo-display and I have yet to work out the replicate virus he has running the interference program."

"I could––" Legion started to say, but EDI cut him off, agitatedly.

"That is nice of you Legion, but it has become a… an exercise between myself and Jeff. I will not give him the… I am pleased to have a challenge that matches my programming power."

Legion left the cockpit, still with the strange compulsion to learn what Shepard had done alone that he would report false data to cover up.

Legion's expression flaps tilted in a way that indicated happiness. He could process EDI's need to fix the problem herself. It presented a challenge. Legion appreciated a challenge.

Legion stood in the AI core –– his 'home' as the crew put it. He replayed his conversation with Shepard-Commander and laid out in his mind the important aspects.

One, Shepard-Commander was wearing the same clothes as the day before.

Two, Shepard-Commander had falsified his data to form the conclusion that he had not left the ship.

Three, Shepard-Commander's short-cropped hair had lost a hundredth of an inch since the last recording of one of their conversations. This meant that Shepard-Commander had gotten a 'hair-cut'. Legion knew this was inaccurate. Human's did not get a single dead epidermis strand removed; they got all of them shortened. It was a strange why to phrase data.

However, all these factors added up to Shepard-Commander not transferring the whole data cache to Legion.

Legion quickly arrived at the conclusion that the hidden data would have to be retrieved by an alternate route. This meant 'keeping tabs' on Shepard, which Tali'Zorah vas Normandy had strictly forbidden under the retribution of severe dismemberment.

This merely meant that Legion would have to implicate Infiltration protocols and not get caught following Shepard-Commander.

The second day of shore-leave was met with subdued enthusiasm by the crew, most of which was content with lounging in bed for several hours. Legion waited for Shepard-Commander to exit his cabin and leave for Zhu's Hope. While he waited, Legion practiced his Infiltration protocols on members of the crew, EDI's systems and most of Zhu's Hope colonists.

Nearly the whole day passed by before Shepard even moved from his room. Legion hid behind some crates as the Feros' sun lowered in the sky and Shepard-Commander wandered into the colony.

Legion followed him through the colony, exercising extreme caution. He knew that Geth caused irrational fear among most colonists.

Shepard-Commander walked through the whole colony, stopping to talk only briefly with a few people he knew. Legion kept close enough to record audio, if not visual. He still did not understand the processor incentive to understand why Shepard-Commander had falsified data. But Legion had to keep focused. All processor power was needed to keep himself undetected.

Shepard-Commander eventually walked out onto the sky-bridge, well away from Zhu's Hope. Legion followed, keeping even better track of his detection level now that there was even less cover.

Suddenly Shepard-Commander stopped, sitting down on a ledge that looked out over the clouds of the Prothean supercity. Legion settled down into cover-mode, realizing that Shepard-Commander had stopped moving.

Several minutes passed.

Legion had run startup check lists four thousand and sixty-three times and was in the middle of four thousand and sixty-four when a second Human appeared.

Legion transferred processor power and studied the new Human.

It was a female.

Tall, dark-haired, body structure in accordance with above average physical fitness.

Shepard-Commander stood and the two traded a greeting by wrapping their arms around each other's torso and pressing oral cavities together. The greeting continued as the two started to divest the other of clothing.

Legion lost visual as they moved into a catacomb under the skyway.

"And where were you, Legion?" Tali asked the Geth as it came back into the _Normandy_.

"Gathering data on Human mating rituals. Do all organics have such complicated anatomy? And do all organics engage in such drawn out mating procedures? These are queries the collective would like to study. A most fascinating subject."

Tali remained frozen to the spot as Legion moved past her.

"On second thought," she said to herself. "I do not want to know."


End file.
